


Mysterious Ways of Heaven

by belana



Category: Korean Drama, 신의 | Faith | The Great Doctor
Genre: F/M, Gen, Historical References, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-12
Updated: 2016-08-21
Packaged: 2018-07-23 15:13:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7468578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/belana/pseuds/belana
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A series of post-canon fics</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. High Internality

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [Высокая интернальность](https://archiveofourown.org/works/6312838) by [Chif](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chif/pseuds/Chif). 
  * A translation of [Генеральская дочка](https://archiveofourown.org/works/6312865) by [Chif](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chif/pseuds/Chif). 
  * A translation of [Сын генерала](https://archiveofourown.org/works/6312892) by [Chif](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chif/pseuds/Chif). 



> Summary: Eun-soo overdid it. Again.

Eun-soo dreamt of a rich husband, her own clinic and a couple of kids (a boy and a girl) with a nanny looking after them in XXI century. In XIV century her dreams changed.

Her husband’s noble family needed an heir – that much was clear even without the Court lady Choi’s confusing explanations. Eun-soo preferred to have a daughter, though. A girl would not be sent to war, glory of her invincible father wouldn’t hover over her head like a sword. It would be enough for the daughter of Daejang and the Great Doctor to be mildly pretty and marry well to live up to her parents’ fame.

Later it turned out that she overdid it. And Choi Young stared in disbelief at two squeaking bundles in her hands as if she just performed magic. Eun-soo swallowed down the tears and couldn’t explain why she felt so scared and happy at the same time.

She had a rich handsome husband and her own clinic (such as it was). She also had scheming courtiers to whom Choi Young was a thorn in their flesh, never-ending war and a bunch of overgrown children (she stitched them up, laughed at their jokes, buried them). And now she had a little boy (everyone would look for his father in him) and a little girl who would be growing up in the world where the woman’s fate was hard.

“Eun-soo,” Choi Young sat down by her side, wiped away her tears and found the right words as if by magic. He must have known her too well. “Eun-soo,” he said, “I will be able to protect them. Do you believe me?”

She did.

She couldn’t decide, though, which bundle would need it more. The girl on the right frown barely-visible eyebrows, the boy on the left looked at Eun-soo with eyes too serious for his age.

Outside the Woodalchi rejoiced so loudly that they could wake up the whole city.

“Eun-soo?” Choi Young was a little worried and rightly so.

“It’s just post-natal depression,” Eun-soo explained and sniffled.

“What?” Choi Young looked at her as usual, Eun-soo laughed through her tears. His eyes became even more round, he was ready to call back the Court doctor, the midwife the Suribang had found and the Court lady Choi, of course, and order them to heal his wife immediately.

“It’s going to be alright,” she calmed him down. “It’s a good thing we have high internality in matrimonial and interpersonal relationships.”

Choi Young nodded – meekly as usual, he was ready to agree with her every word if it made her happy. Eun-soo felt her daughter squirm and asked, “Do you want to hold her?”

Choi Young looked down again at the red, wrinkled and absolutely beautiful faces of his children and became very brave as if he were on a battle field.

Then he lost his nerve for the first time in his life.

“They are so tiny,” he said awkwardly. “I’ll hold them when they are a little bigger, shall I?”

“When will that happen?” she asked mockingly. “When they will be about five? Don’t be afraid, they won’t break.”

Choi Young looked at her doubtfully, but made up his mind and carefully – oh so carefully like never before in his life – held his son. Then Eun-soo handed him his daughter, and Choi Young froze, forgetting to breathe.

“Please, don’t cry,” Eun-soo asked.

Choi Young looked at her dreamily and didn’t say a word.

Eun-soo smiled again, feeling better.

The world was full of dangers, so what? There was fresh air and a loving family here. Choi Young will teach them (both of them, how will his daughter be able to stay away) to fish and fight. He’ll teach them to see the difference between good and bad, to understand what duty is. He’ll teach them truths as old as time that are almost completely forgotten in the hectic future. And Eun-soo will tell them how to survive – she knows a lot about it, she worked in Gangnam and travelled through time.

She blinked the tears away, she had no time for it.

There was a bang outside, Dae-man shouted, “It’s too early!”, but the night sky was already aglow. Someone was clipped around the ear and reprimanded.

“Fireworks,” Choi Yong explained, sighing.

Of course – how could Eun-soo forget?

Their children will have a thousand solicitous uncles, how many children are that lucky?


	2. Daejang’s Daughter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Children are gods' gift.  
> The fic is set approximately 17 years after the final episode.

New captain Kim Seung didn’t get his rank at age nineteen for nothing.

He was the first to see the intruder, a small and agile figure dressed in dark clothes with the face covered according to the Japanese custom, brushed past the guards, scaled the roof, jumped down without a sound, ending up on the second floor gallery.

Right behind Daejang Choi Young’s back.

Kim Seung fumbled for a dagger, swung it, but Daejang Deok-man caught his hand, smirked and gestured him to stay quiet, strangely indifferent to the fate of his brother-in-arms and friend.

The intruder didn’t linger: he jumped at Daejang at the speed of light, swung a small dagger and… was sent flying from the second floor.

He didn’t break his neck, to his credit. He neatly summersaulted and landed like a cat.

The guards suddenly remembered their duties, rounded him up and shoved his to his knees. Choi Young descended the stairs steadily, reached out and yanked off the mask and the hood.

Captain Kim Seung closed his mouth because the intruder turned out to be a pretty girl of about sixteen with a long thick braid. She stared at Choi Young without fear, jerking her chin up haughtily.

“Where is Mom?” Daejang asked wearily.

“She’ll be here soon.” The girl rolled her eyes. “She just has to get through the crowd of those in need.”

“You’d better change,” Daejang advised her. “Grandmother will have a heart attack if she sees you dressed like that in the Palace.” He looked at the guards and ordered, “Let go.”

They obeyed, the girl stood up.

“Could you greet me properly, maybe?” Daejang raised his eyebrows.

Kim Seung’s mouth opened again because she made a sound which he recognized as squealing and fell upon Daejang’s neck.

He was quite happy with it, though: he hugged the girl tight, then kissed her forehead.

Daejang Deok-man laughed and approached them.

“Look at you!” he said with admiration.

“Deok-man!” The girl was smiling when she looked at him. “I did fine, didn’t I? Lang-ho and I trained every day.”

Choi Young smacked her on the back of the head lightly, exasperated.

“Don’t angle for compliments, how many times do I have to tell you that?”

She giggled and shrugged nonchalantly.

“You did well,” Daejang Deok-man brushed Daejang Choi Young’s comment away too. “It could have been perfect, but Captain noticed you.”

“What?” She frowned.

 **“** This one,” Daejang Deok-man pointed at him.

And Kim Seung knew he was falling into these bottomless eyes.

The girl stepped closer to him _(a tiny creature, barely reaching his shoulder, thin and lithe like a willow)_ and extended her arm.

“My name is Choi In-ji.”

Kim Seung stared at her – a Daejang’s daughter, gods forgive him – uncomprehending. Then she snorted, grabbed his hand and waved it up and down.

“Just like that,” she said. “It’s a Heaven handshake. Now you have to tell me your name because I just did, otherwise you’ll be terribly impolite.”

“Kim Seung,” he managed, dumbfounded, and jerked his hand free.

Choi In-ji smiled at him – it seemed another sun appeared in the world. Kim Seung didn’t know when he started smiling back.

He distinctly remembered the moment when he felt what Daejang’s enemies did – his undivided attention.

“In-ji,” he said calmly, “do change the dress, your grandmother probably already knows you are here.”

“Sure,” she turned and nodded.

Captain Kim Seung followed her with his eyes and swallowed, turning to face Daejang Choi Young for the first time.

“Captain?”

“Y-yes?”

“May the gods keep you safe.”

Kim Seung could swear he heard genuine sympathy in his voice.

Daejang Choi Young left while Kim Seung stayed and looked hopefully at Daejang Deok-man. He sighed and smiled encouragingly, “Never mind. You’ll understand it later.”

“Understand what?”

“Everything,” Daejang Deok-man snorted and patted his shoulder.

* * *

 

He did understand everything on his own.

Three months after the Choi family returned to the capital – on the day His Majesty ordered Daejang to come to him.

Captain Kim Seung was standing near the throne so he was an unwilling witness of their conversation. He could have been beheaded for the comparison that came to his mind at the sight of King Gongmin, but Seung’s younger brother behaved exactly the same when he upset their father.

King Gongmin bit his lip and said, “Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang sent a message that he wished Choi-agassi to be his wife.”

Kim Seung momentarily forgot about duty and rules commanding to stay silent and guard the King. He didn’t exclaim, which was an accomplishment in itself.

Daejang bore the blow stoically as if it weren’t his daughter about to be sent to China, he only asked quietly, “Is that an order?”

His Majesty gritted his teeth and did something unfathomable – he hit the table with his fist.

“I thought after the fall of Yuan I won’t have to steal girls from their homes to save my skin,” he said, desperation evident in his voice. “I’m sorry, Daejang.”

“Is that an order?” Choi Young repeated in the same tone.

The King sighed.

“I’ve already sent a reply,” he said, “that Choi-agassi married yesterday. I’m sorry, I know how hard convincing your women will be, but In-ji has to marry as soon as possible before my scheme is exposed. You know better than I do that there are more spies than servants in the palace.”

Daejang Choi Young bowed his head, but Kim Seung noticed a shadow of a smile on his face.

“I will do everything I can, Your Majesty.”

He turned to leave, but suddenly changed his mind. He faced the King again and asked, “Do you mind if I borrow your captain, Your Majesty?”

The King looked at Kim Seung in amazement and nodded.

 

* * *

 

“Daejang?” Kim Seung tried to feign utter ignorance, but his father said that he couldn’t become a decent official for a reason.

“You can stop bluffing your way out of this,” Daejang said darkly, “my aunts love their niece with all their hearts and follow her every step. I’ve known for a while what exactly Captain Kim Seung has been teaching my daughter.”

Kim Seung sighed, looked down guiltily and repented.

“I’m sorry. I told her that it was wrong, that she had to ask your permission first, but… I don’t remember all her reasons, but her speech was long, I didn’t understand everything so I agreed.”

Daejang waved him away.

“That’s beside the point.”

Kim Seung raised his eyebrows, standing still.

There were a lot of rumours about the invincible Daejang Choi Young among the soldiers. It was said that he could destroy a hundred enemies singlehandedly, that attacking the enemy under his command was not frightening because the gods kept him safe. After all, he did go to Heaven and brought back a wife.

Kim Seung didn’t believe a half of it.

One rumour seemed to be true, though: it was hard to figure him out.

“If you want In-ji to become your wife you should hurry and talk to her before I do,” Daejang said.

“What?” Kim Seung stared at him uncomprehending. “How did you…”

Daejang pressed his lips together.

“Did you ever notice that a man in love always has a stupid expression on his face?” he sighed. “Go, I’ve told you everything I wanted. I have a long conversation ahead of me – of which I will understand very little.”

Daejang gave him a hearty slap upside the head, clicked his tongue and turned away.

Kim Seung could help himself and asked, “Daejang, what is the expression of a woman in love?”

“You’ll figure it out yourself.”

 

* * *

 

He found In-ji in the garden. She was wearing a pretty hanbok and had her hair braided. She looked every bit a daughter of a daejang. Usually Kim Seung saw her dressed differently.

“Grandmother Choi made me wear this,” she said in lieu of greeting. “Dad interfered, but it didn’t help.”

“What did he say?”

In-ji smiled impishly and pursed her lips trying to look like Daejang.

“Blood is not water, Aunt,” she spoke in a deep voice, “or have you forgotten that Eun-soo showed up in the barracks with her knees bare?”

“Did your mother actually do that?” Kim Seung raised his eyebrows.

In-ji laughed.

“How should I know, I wasn’t there.”

Kim Seung swallowed and decided that it was time. Now or never – otherwise Daejjang would find her a suitable husband, and she’d leave forever.

He took a deep breath and blurted, “The Ming emperor wants you to become his wife.”

In-ji paled and immediately jumped up, grabbed Kim Seung by the sleeve and dragged him after her.

“What are you doing?” he asked, letting her take several steps.

“Are you blind?” she snapped. “I’m running away.”

Kim Seung caught her hand and pulled, making her turn around and stand still.

“If you’re running away why did you grab my hand? I’m a Goryeo warrior, I have to follow my King’s orders.”

“I know.” In-ji sulked, her shoulders sagged. “Father will obey orders too, even Mom wouldn’t be able to help…” She looked away. “Then we’ll have to say our farewells now.”

Kim Seung stared at the hand, thrust at him for a Heaven handshake, licked his lips and asked, “If I ask you to stay. With me, forever. If I promise to always protect you what will you say?”

“I’d say that you’re out of your mind.” In-ji was angry and hit his chest with her fists so hard he couldn’t breathe in. “Do you want to die a traitor’s death?”

“What will you say?” Kim Seung repeated stubbornly.

He saw desperation and tenderness, written all over her face, - that was the best answer.

He intertwined his fingers with hers and confessed, “King Gongmin wrote to the Emperor that you’d already married, that’s why your father told me that if I didn’t want to lose you… Ouch! In-ji!” He jumped away, dodging the second kick. “What’s wrong with you?”

“Idiot!” In-ji looked pissed. “Do you know how much you just frightened me?”

“Ouch! What are you doing? Noble ladies don’t behave like that!” Kim Seung thanked all the gods for all the Woodalchi training and dodged again. “What would your grandmother say?”

In-ji froze, breathing heavily, then laughed and hugged him.

 

* * *

 

“I’ve told you he was an idiot,” Choi Young rubbed his temples. “Why did he have to tell the whole truth right away? I gave him time so he could explain himself properly.”

He sighed hopelessly, turned away from the reconciled couple and walked toward barracks. Eun-soo snorted, caught up with her husband, stepped closer to him, and the world didn’t matter to them anymore.

“He’s an honest boy,” she smiled.

“That will be the death of him,” Choi Young agreed. “The boy doesn’t understand what he’s sighing up to.”

“Gods! You like him already!” Eun-soo was delighted.

“No such thing.” Choi Young looked insulted. Eun-soo nodded sympathetically.

“Don’t worry, he has to have someone on his side. You do remember what our kids are like, don’t you? And Aunts Choi and Mangbo? And your warriors who think they’re our most loyal guards?”

Choi Young did, thought about it and decided that he had to be kinder to poor Kim Seung.

Someone had to be on his side.


	3. Daejang's Son

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 1365 was an unfortunate year for the dynasty and for Daejang.

Choi Young was pacing at the doors of the royal hospital again where his wife was giving birth. Seven years passed since the previous time, but his feelings didn’t change. He still walked the yard, brushed aside Woodalchi on patrol, who looked questioningly at him, desperate to know if it was a boy or a girl. He was still scared to death.

Eun-soo promised him again that everything would be alright, but the sun has sat and risen again, and no one yet told him how she was doing.

The previous time the doors opened, and his tired Aunt smiled happily (he hasn’t ever seen her smile like that), called him a brat and ordered to go to his wife.

This time the doors opened again, but the expression on his Aunt’s pale face was far from happy.

Choi Young stepped to her and barely restrained himself from shaking her by the shoulders.

“How is she?”

“She’s…” Aunt Choi pressed her lips together, but found enough strength to continue, “You’d better say your farewells now, Young, while she’s still conscious.”

“What happened?” Choi Young demanded.

Aunt Choi looked away.

“She’s bleeding, doctors can’t stop it. Go.” She grabbed his sleeve. “Or you’ll be too late.”

Choi Young didn’t believe her. He stepped past his aunt and recoiled from the familiar smell in the room. Eun-soo’s bed was covered in blood like it was a battlefield. He couldn’t understand how this much blood fitted in such a tiny woman.

“Young, is that you?” Eun-soo whispered.

“I’m here.”

Eun-soo smiled with pale lips, her eyes opened.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I disappointed you. I didn’t do it on purpose.”

“What are you talking about? Why aren’t they stopping the blood?” Enraged, he looked around. “Where’s the doctor?”

“Young.” Eun-soo raised her hand with some effort, and Choi Young intertwined their fingers as usual. “They’ll try again after we talk. There’re things that need to be said.”

“No, they…”

“Listen,” she begged, holding on to his hand, “don’t blame anyone for this. And our son… Try to love him, it’s not his fault.”

“I’m not…”

“Find the best doctors for the Queen, it’s terribly important. Otherwise in nine years our King…” Her voice grew weaker. Choi Young’s hands were shaking. “And if in nine years… then in fourteen years… Young… Don’t die.”

Her eyelids grew heavier; she kept her eyes closed for longer periods of time.

“It’s you who shouldn’t be dying,” Choi Young said bitterly and awkwardly. “You promised.”

“I want to… sleep…”

She closed her eyes, let go of his hand, and Choi Young’s heart, that she held in her fist for the last thirteen years, shattered to pieces.

“Do something!” he ordered. The royal doctor, his helpers and a midwife immediately sprang to action. They pushed him back, but didn’t dare to send him out of the room.

When the evening came and the candles were lit, because there wasn’t enough light, the bleeding finally stopped.

Eun-soo didn’t open her eyes, though.

Choi Young ordered and begged, but the Court doctor only shook his head and went on and on about chances, about loss of blood, about her age, about their child who needed a father.

Aunt Choi said something too, but Choi Young didn’t listen, he didn’t get some rest and didn’t hold his son.

He could only think that Eun-soo again went to a place where he couldn’t follow her.

 

* * *

 

The Queen came first. Eun-soo ordered her to stay in bed and stop worrying, but she came despite the orders.

She was alone, ordering guards and ladies-in-waiting to wait outside.

She sat heavily on the other side of the bed, cradled her belly as usual, calming the restless heir to the throne. Eun-soo was running around the hospital till the last possible minute, sending new Woodalchi recruits with errands, and the Queen’s pregnancy was a difficult one, it drained life out of her.

On the other hand, though, it was a miracle that shut the mouths of overly zealous officials and the Queen Mother. They united five years ago against ‘the barren Yuan girl’ who couldn’t produce an heir to the country.

The King Gongmin took a second consort then (1), fearing another plot against his beloved wife, but the second consort didn’t satisfy the expectations too.

Two years after the wedding Eun-soo was dragged to the Council again by the orders from the Queen Mother, who was worried about her son and her country, and was ordered to predict future – while Choi Young was away, fighting Japanese pirates. It was a miracle that Eun-soo wasn’t executed, Ahn-je described in detail the red ears of the councilors who had to hear a long lecture, full of medical terms.

The Council was a bit distracted thanks to the Red Turban Army (2).

Choi Young was so deep in thought that he didn’t realize right away that the Queen was looking at him anxiously.

“Where’s the boy?” she asked.

“Aunt Choi found him a wet nurse.”

The Queen was silent and then said quietly, “Daejang, you need to get some sleep. And have a talk with the children; they know something bad had happened. You won’t help Eun-soo by digging your own grave.”

Choi Young winced and looked away. Eun-soo’s fingers were cold, just as cold as when she was poisoned. He warmed her fingers in his hands, but that helped for only a short time.

“Daejang!” the Queen demanded.

“Your Majesty.” He bowed and tried to smile. “I promised Eun-soo that I’d live when she’d go away. And I will. I just need a little time.”

“She’s not dead yet.” The Queen was angry as she was all those years when only the two of them believed Eun-soo would return.

“I believe she’ll live,” Choi Young said.

“Why are you saying such things then?”

“She’s close now, but very far away.” Choi Young would have kissed her fingers as if the Queen weren’t present. “And I believe she’ll return. Until then I’ll live.”

“Do you promise?” The Queen looked at him suspiciously.

“Yes.”

Choi Young had a lot of things to do.

The Queen pressed her lips together and nodded, accepting his oath.

“If I can help you in any way don’t hesitate to ask. Eun-soo is not just a doctor from Heaven and your wife, she’s my friend… Just tell me how I can be of help.”

“Thank you.” Choi Young bowed.

Only a doctor from Heaven could help him now, but there were no gates to Heaven and no way of snatching anyone.

 

* * *

 

Woodalchi met him with grave silence and eyes filled with tears. Eun-soo’s son and daughter, dirty and covered with first snow, froze, staring at their father.

Choi Young approached them and kneeled.

In-ji – mother’s character and upbringing – hugged him. Lang-ho didn’t step closer, only clenched his fists and frowned just like Young.

“You have more bruises and scrapes than I remember,” Choi Young said.

In-ji hugged him closed and whimpered, trying not to cry.

“Dae-man is teaching us to scale walls,” Lang-ho confessed. “We wanted to show Mom what we could do when she’d return.”

Choi Young patted his daughter’s back and pulled his son closer by the shirt.

When the children were standing side by side he said earnestly, “Mom is sick, so you’ll have plenty of time to train.”

In-ji whimpered and whispered, “Everyone says she’s going to die.”

“Everyone told me she’d never come back,” Choi Young smiled. “Fortunately, your Mom is not very fond of doing what others expect her to.”

“Is she going to be alright?” Lang-ho looked at him hopefully.

“I don’t know,” Choi Young confessed, “but I believe in her.”

In-ji and Lang-ho looked at each other (they did it often – communicated without words) and nodded.

“We believe in her too!”

Choi Young hugged them both.

 

* * *

 

Winter gradually turned to spring. It brought warmer weather, mud and chills. Choi Young, having nothing else to do, spent more time at the hospital and by the side of his sick children than in the King’s presence.

Eun-soo was breathing evenly and stopped resembling a corpse, but didn’t gain consciousness. Choi Young took her warm hand and kissed it. He prayed, even though he never actually believed in gods, cut himself short and told her about the day or berated her for not learning Chinese because all the Woodalchi had to decipher Heaven language since sick In-ji refused to take the medicine the Court doctor had made.

He told her that the King Gongmin decided to invite Shin-don, a Buddhist monk who lived in the Palace for almost seven years, to governing the state. Now the two of them prepared new decrees that conservative civil officials would definitely not like. But every soldier would support Choi Young so they would support the King. This time Gongmin had a real chance since the Yuan had too many problems of their own (3), and the King’s grip on the country was firmer.

He told her that the Queen had not left her quarters for days which upset the King and pleased the Consort Hye.

Choi Young told her about everything, but never said a word about the younger son. Despite everything Eun-soo said, he couldn’t love the boy. At night, when In-ji and Lang-ho were asleep, Choi Young sat by the cradle and tried to feel something, anything toward him, reasoned that he was Eun-soo’s son too, but his heart was numb.

He didn’t even name the boy. Aunt Choi, angry at his negligence, named the child Choi Woo in honour of an ancestor, a military ruler of Goryeo (4).

The days were turning into weeks, the children got better and bothered his warriors again, giving them training in patience almost daily, Gongmin signed another decree – and the lot of hangers-by, ‘free officials’ who didn’t actually hold a post at the Court, lost their rank and income.

Then, on February 16th according to the Heaven calendar, despite every effort of the Court doctor and midwives, the Queen Noguk died.

 

* * *

 

Those were bad days that turned into weeks.

Choi Young accompanied the inconsolable King everywhere and learnt all Buddhist rituals of commemoration by heart. He barely saw Eun-soo or the children.

The elder ones usually fell asleep with their arms around each other while waiting for him to return home. The younger boy just turned three months old.

Choi Young visited him late at night so when the boy first saw him while awake he cried in terror.

“What are you doing?” Aunt asked him, handing the child to the wet nurse.

“I don’t have an answer to that,” Choi Young confessed.

When In-ji and Lang-ho were infants he was afraid that if he touched them they would brake so he held them only in Eun-soo’s presence. She laughed off his fears and carelessly handed him the daughter or the son, assuring him that no one has ever seen such a ridiculous expression on his face. No one has better see it because otherwise no one would fear him anymore.

“Your wife will skin you if she learns about the way you’re treating her son.”

“She has to wake up first.”

Aunt Choi rolled her eyes and barely restrained herself from clipping him around the ear. She was turning sixty three this year, but her temper hasn’t changed.

“Eun-soo will skin you even in Heaven,” she said glumly. “Even the older children will soon forget your face.”

“I know,” Choi Young sighed. “I managed to sneak away now because Shin-don wanted to discuss something private with the King. He probably took pity on me.”

Aunt Choi, being a Court lady through and through, frowned.

“You’d better keep both eyes opened. Have you forgotten that at Court people rarely do decent things out of the goodness of their hearts?”

“Don’t worry about me,” Choi Young pleaded. “Tell me do you often come here with the boy?”

“Yes,” Aunt Choi nodded and pursed her lips, looking at Eun-soo. “I thought that the tears of her baby could wake her up.”

“You love her.” He smiled.

Aunt Choi stopped restraining herself and clipped him around the ear.

“Of course I do. She’s the only woman who can stand my good-for-nothing nephew, bore him children. Apparently, she’s not of this world. It is very obvious now.”

At large Choi Young agreed.

In-ji  demanded that he wake up Eun-soo with a kiss of true love as if she were an enchanted princess. Eun-soo did look like she was sleeping.

“I’ll leave you,” Aunt decided. If Choi Young didn’t know her all his life he could have thought that she just wiped away a tear.

He nodded to her, bidding her good-bye, and sat by his woman’s side, carefully intertwined their fingers and kissed her hand.

At that moment Eun-soo opened her eyes.

 

* * *

 

Choi Young was sent out of the hospital so fast that he didn’t have a chance to utter a word to his wife. The new Court doctor, assigned to the post instead of the one who couldn’t help Eun-soo and didn’t save the Queen, rounded him up so fast and with so little effort as if he were born a Woodalchi.

Choi Young froze like a statue at the doors, clutching his suddenly heavy sword.

Several minutes later the children materialized at his side; then Dae-man and Doek-man appeared; Aunt Choi returned, gathering her skirts; generals passed by, talking quietly (Ahn-je and Yi Seong-gye were the first); the patrol passed him by fourteen times.

Even the Suribang showed up, making sure that some Court guards would get a beating.

Then, almost an eternity later, the doors of the hospital opened.

Before the doctor managed to utter a word Choi Young waved him aside and entered.

“Erm. Hello.” Eun-soo looked strange. She was frowning and looking around as if she didn’t recognize the room or Choi Young. “Could you help me? Did I end up on the set of a historical dorama?”

Choi Young swallowed and let go of the sword (5).

“What?” Eun-soo asked, cocking her head to the side. “The guy who examined me talked rubbish. And I don’t remember how I ended up here. Where are we anyway?”

“When,” Choi Young said.

“What?” Eun-soo stared.

“The question of when is more appropriate.”

“Pffft.” She sighed as if she were disappointed in him too. “And when are we?”

“The third month of the thirteenth year of the King Gongmin’s rule is ending.” He thought for a moment and added, “It’s the year of 1365 from the birth of Christ.”

“Sure,” Eun-soo snorted. “Don’t tell me that I invented not an elixir of life, but a time machine while studying stem cells.”

“Almost fourteen years ago – even though it was less than ten for you – I, Daejang Choi Young, stole you from you time.”

“Daejang Choi Young? Seriously?” Eun-soo rolled her eyes. “Did Mom actually keep her word and send to a TV show?”

“Do you really… have no memory of me?”

Eun-soo cocked her head again and stared at him, trying to remember. She gave up soon, though.

“Don’t be upset,” she said kindly, “I don’t have time to watch TV so I don’t recognize any showbiz faces.”

Choi Young felt he could breathe in as if some invisible foe grabbed him by the neck and tried to strangle him.

“Oh, hello, grandma,” Eun-soo smiled. “I hope you won’t be making fun of me.”

“Young,” Aunt Choi said firmly, “go. I’ll talk to her.”

 

* * *

 

Choi Young left the hospital and didn’t even stop when someone called his name. He couldn’t wrap his head around the idea that Eun-soo has forgotten him. Completely. She didn’t have a place for him in her head or heart.

She has forgotten that she travelled to him through time. She’s forgotten that she became his wife, that they raised children together. She has forgotten that she grumbled and was angry when she was scared.

Everything.

Forgotten.

He entered his room and zipped around, not knowing what to do next. No one dared to enter his room.

Only several hours later when the evening came, Choi Young returned to the hospital.

Eun-soo was not alone. In-ji was sitting on her right, Lang-ho – on her left. They heard the footsteps and simultaneously turned around. Choi Young froze on the doorstep.

“Hello.” Eun-soo’s smile was forced and dutiful.

“Grandmother Choi said that mother was hit on her head,” In-ji said gravely.

“And that we should behave because she doesn’t remember what we shouldn’t do,” Lang-ho added.

“You must go to bed,” Choi Young said hoarsely.

The children pursed their lips identically, ready to protect, but Eun-soo hugged them, kissed tops of their heads and promised, “We’ll meet tomorrow.”

“Alright.” In-ji yawned, hugged Eun-soo again and dragged her brother away.

A couple of moments later they were alone.

“Aunt said we were married,” Eun-soo said evenly.

“We are.”

“And I have children.”

“Yes.”

“And it’s really 1365.” She licked her lips and added, “And the place is Goryeo.”

“It is.”

“And you’re Daejang Choi Young. Have I told you that I knew you before… God, it’s weird even to say this.”

“You did,” Choi Young confirmed. “You even sang a song about me.”

Eun-soo groaned and facepalmed.

“I can’t believe it,” he mumbled.

“When you ended up here you thought this was a… film set. Then that it was a dream.”

“When did I accept this?” Eun-soo asked hopefully.

“You never told me that,” Choi Young confessed.

Eun-soo sighed disappointed.

“It’s a pity, I’d like to know when I’ll stop thinking I’m going mad… Oh! Aunt didn’t say why I don’t remember anything. Was I attacked?” She looked curious. It hit him like a fist to the guts.

“No,” Choi Young said. “Not this time. You were birthing my child and lost much blood. We didn’t know if you’d live or die for ninety five days.”

“I gave birth at the age of forty one in the XIV century?” Eun-soo gasped. “Was I mad?”

Choi Young couldn’t hide a bitter smile.

“That’s what I asked you. But you… You said,” he swallowed and said in a higher voice, “ _Don’t worry, Daejang, everything will be fine, how can I… abandon you_.”

“Please don’t cry,” Eun-soo asked and touched his cheek in a familiar gesture.

Only then Choi Young realized his cheeks were wet.

 

* * *

 

The Court doctor announced that Eun-soo was better to stay in the hospital for a couple of days despite her protests.

No one could detain the wife of Daejang Choi Young, but Eun-soo had forgotten about it. That’s why they nodded to each other, and Choi Young left alone.

He turned around the corner and found the King walking around the garden – against his better judgement.

The King saw him, gestured guards and Doe-chi to step away and said evenly, “I’ve heard the Great Doctor has gained consciousness.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Choi Young nodded curtly and followed his King.

“I’m glad to hear it.”

Gongmin still looked like a ghost, and the word ‘glad’ sounded like mockery, but Choi Young understood him better than most.

“Did her memory return?”

“Not yet, Your Majesty. She remembers only her life in Heaven and not a minute of her life here.”

“I see.”

The King stopped abruptly. If Choi Young weren’t a skilled warrior he would have bumped into him.

“Your Majesty?”

“Shin-don gave me a piece of advice, but I’m not sure I should follow it,” Gongmin confessed. The expression on his face made Choi Young want to utter several choice words from Heaven language. The ones that outsiders thought to be deadly curses.

Instead he had to raise his eyebrows and said, fearing the worst, “Your Majesty?”

“We think that you need to be exiled, Daejang.”

This proposal managed to catch him off guard.

The King saw something in his eyes and explained hurriedly, “Not too far away. While Eun-soo is recovering. Now people hate you maybe even more than thirteen years ago. And if I remember her behavior when she just came to our world…”

“You’re right,” Choi Young sighed. Eun-soo, who didn’t know from experience that life here was dangerous, was in danger. Thirteen years ago she had no sense, had only some ‘films’ in mind and a lot of carelessness.

Choi Young remembered that she almost married the poisoner prince because she decided to act a seductress, and he felt cold sweat break on his forehead.

“Gods,” he said, “Maybe I should put guards around the hospital now.”

The King was not surprised, he only sighed.

“Shin-don is preparing a decree, but you should think what crime to commit. Everything should look reasonable so your warriors wouldn’t stage a coup.”

“They’d never.”

The King shook his head.

“You underestimate their faith in you.”

 

* * *

 

As it turned out, the Court doctor underestimated the Woodalchi too.

Because Choi Young, who returned to his rooms, found smiling Eun-soo there. She was sorting out her papers with the baby sleeping nearby.

“How did you get here?” he asked a bit too loudly, scared her and continued quieter, “You didn’t come on your own, did you?”

“The boys carried me,” she smiled widely. “Dae-man and Deok-man. I complained to them that I didn’t want to stay in the hospital so they kidnapped me.”

Of course. No one dared to detain Daejang’s wife, that was true. Yoo Eun-soo, a woman from Heaven, always agreed to stay, but then found a way to escape, though.

How could Choi Young forget her habits of a stray cat?

“Why are you smiling?” Eun-soo asked.

“I love you,” Choi Young answered.

Eun-soo looked away embarrassed.

“Who taught you to show feeling so openly?” she grumbled. “Is that allowed in your time?”

Choi Young smiled crookedly.

“It’s not encouraged. And you taught me that.”

“Sorry.”

“What for?” Choi Young sounded surprised.

“That I don’t remember how to be that woman who you love. That I don’t feel what I should. I found my notes, and... God, I managed to write about you even in a pain-killing recipe. I’ve never thought that someone could become so dear to me, I’m a…” She looked away hopelessly. “Do you understand?”

“Yes,” Choi Young sat down heavily.

“What do I do?” Eun-soo asked helplessly.

Choi Young didn’t have an answer that could console her.

“Get better,” he said. “The King was kind enough to…” Choi Young tried to remember the reasons she gave when she convinced them to go to the sea shore. “…give me a vacation? Anyway, we’d better leave the Palace so you can recover.”

“Where are we going?”

“Home.”

And Choi Young wasn’t lying. They’ve never been in that house, but it was a present from the King, it was officially theirs for a long time.

“Do we have our own house? Are you rich?” Eun-soo eyes grew wide.

“You can say so,” he said evasively. “During the first year you had a huge book where you tried to count our income, but soon you grew tired of it. So I can’t say how much money we have.”

“Seriously?” She flared. “What was I thinking about?”

Choi Young couldn’t hide a smile.

“You need to rest; you can deal with it later.”

“Your expression says, _It’s useless anyway, woman, I remember how it ended the last time_ ,” Eun-soo grumbled.

“It’s because that’s what I actually think,” he nodded.

Eun-soo snorted and carefully picked the sleeping baby up.

“Can you take Woo to his cradle? He’s so tiny, I’m afraid to leave him here.”

Choi Young swallowed and took his son from his wife. For the first time – as it should be.

 

* * *

 

Eun-soo cried out in her sleep, thrashed on the bed so Choi Young hugged her as usual, then got scared: what if it would only make everything worse now, when she doesn’t remember anything?

She calmed down and opened her eyes, though.

“The Queen Noguk… Is she…”

“Yes. Do you remember her?”

“It was a good dream,” Eun-soo said. “We were in a garden and laughed a lot. Then I realized she was pregnant and remembered… Couldn’t I save her?”

“The Queen died in the middle of February.”

“I didn’t have a chance to try, then.” Eun-soo bit her lip and looked away. “Maybe this part of history can’t be changed.”

“If you weren’t here the Queen Noguk would have died many years ago.”

Eun-soo didn’t answer, sat on the bed, extricating herself from his hug, then stood up and paced around the room. During the week that she spent in the Woodalchi barracks, she recovered, stubbornly stood up and walked despite the Court doctor’s directions. Eun-soo had her own opinion on the matter.

“I can’t believe it,” she said, freezing in mid-step. “I don’t remember her, but I feel so awful. I want to cry when I think that I’d never see her. It’s so stupid, she’s just a name in a history book to me…”

“She was your friend,” Choi Young corrected her quietly. “You are probably the only person, apart from His Majesty, who hugged her, consoled her and rejoiced with her.”

Eun-soo exhaled shakily and turned away, covering her face her hands.

Choi Young stood up and approached her from behind.

He was afraid to touch her, but he loved her, and she was unhappy. So he hugged her, nuzzling her neck.

Eun-soo flinched with her whole body, then turned around, hugged him back and cried bitterly.

 

* * *

 

In the fifth month of 1365 the meddlesome Queen Mother chose another wife for Gongmin, Choi Young had spent some time in jail and was officially exiled as per Shin-don’s decree. He prudently gained support of almost all noblemen, apart from those whom Choi Young personally brought to Court many years ago, so he didn’t have trouble with that.

That’s why the sad King, accompanied by Ahn-je and Doe-chi, came to say good bye to the Chois in the dead of the night.

“I’m sorry you won’t be present at the wedding, Great Doctor,” he said.

“Let me guess,” Eun-soo smiled, “I’d loved it there, but Daejang would have sulked the whole evening.”

Gongmin smiled weakly in return.

“Your frankness reminds me of better days.”

“This frankness will be the death of me,” Choi Young announced glumly, but Eun-soo was only amused by his suffering.

She looked at him with tenderness, rolled her eyes and said to the King, “Your Majesty, you have no idea how difficult it is to deal with him.”

He raised his eyebrows and inquired anxiously, “Is that so? Are you uncomfortable with Daejang?”

Choi Young froze as if covered in ice. But only for a second because Eun-soo laughed, shaking her head and waving her hands.

“No, no, I didn’t mean that. You see, Your Majesty, he’s always so serious,” she complained. “Don’t go there, don’t say that, don’t eat this. I don’t even know how I managed to give birth to three children with a husband like that.”

The King coughed, Doe-chi froze with his mouth open, and Ahn-je, the traitor, laughed and left the room.

Choi Young decided that it was the right time to study the map and looked down to hide a blush.

Eun-soo finally found someone who had no choice, but to listen to her whining and went on, “And the thing is, Your Majesty, he never tells me anything! He says, _Don’t wait for me in the evening, I’ll be in jail_. What should I make of it? He’s going to jail because of me again!” She huffed indignantly and waved her hand.

While Choi Young stared at her, unbelieving, and couldn’t utter a word.

Eun-soo realized she accidentally remembered something, gasped and smiled happily at him.

“When will it end?” she asked helplessly.

Choi Young didn’t answer.

And he didn’t notice that they were alone in the room.

 

* * *

 

They were leaving early in the morning before the first passers-by were awake.

Choi Young was leading the caravan, consisting of two carriages and six wagons, as usual. Eun-soo and the children occupied the first carriage, the wet nurse, maids and trunks, constantly clicking with a hundred vials, were in the second one.

Deok-man who recently got a promotion was leading the team who had the order to send the Daejang’s family to exile that’s why he was gloomy and silent. It seemed to Choi Young that he was about to clutch Daejang’s knees like Dae-man and never let go.

Dae-man was also present and got on Choi Young’s nerves.

“How can it be?” Dae-man sighed for the umpteenth time. “Daejang, how can it be?”

Choi Young wanted to slap him upside the head, but the brat probably sensed it and suffered from a distance.

“I’ll come back when the King asks me to,” Choi Young said.

Dae-man cheered up immediately.

“Right,” Deok-man nodded, brightening up. “The King will soon summon us back, we won’t even make it to the mansion.”

Choi Young snorted and decided not to correct them. Cheery guards were better than depressed ones. Everyone started joking, and Dae-man was cuffed around the ear.

The journey became jollier and seemed a bit easier.

During another rest break In-ji, the little kumiho, persuaded Dae-man give her and Lang-ho his horse, and Choi Young did what no one expected of him.

He sat in the carriage with his wife.

Eun-soo was unusually quiet since the morning and kept looking at Woo. She was frowning, even though she always told everyone not to do it.

“Did you remember something?” Choi Young asked.

Long ago there was a time when she was afraid of him and avoided him. When she thought he was a psycho and a murderer, a kidnapper and a scoundrel. And Choi Young knew one day she’d remember something bad.

“Tell me,” Eun-soo whispered, “Does the King have a bastard son?”

“What?” Choi Young blinked, dazed.

“I’ve been counting the whole day. The fact that I remember basically zero on history of this country doesn’t help. Gongmin’s son ruled after him. I remember something was muddy about it, the son was illegitimate or adopted or some such, and I…”

“I’m not sure you need to remember that,” Choi Young said.

Eun-soo stubbornly shook her head, though.

“It’s important to me. Is there? A son, I mean?”

“There isn’t as far as I know,” Choi Young sighed. “He loves the Queen Noguk very much.”

“Did Shin-don have a son last year by any chance?”

“He’s a monk,” Choi Young reminded her.

Eun-soo frowned again and hugged Woo closer – as if protecting him.

“What’s wrong with you?”

Eun-soo sighed and closed her eyes.

“It wound have been better if I’d forgotten everything that was before because now I remember the future, but I have a black hole where the present should be.”

“You’ll remember,” Choi Young promised confidently. “You’ll remember, and we’ll return home.”

He didn’t know then, of course, that the King would need six years and the Queen Mother’s plot against Shin-don to summon him back to the capital.

During those six years Yoo Eun-soo would fall in love with him again and remember everything, she’d collect all the precious memories, and the children would grow up. Choi In-ji would stubbornly try to catch her father off guard to prove that she could become a warrior, not a warrior’s daughter. Choi Lang-ho would grow interested in books and learning, while Choi Woo would say his first word, make his first step, and he would keep following his older siblings everywhere.

And they would return home, together.

And then, many centuries later, their names would be erased from history.

Only the great Daejang would remain as an example of loyalty and bravery.

And his younger son.

The King Woo (6).

 

____________________________________

**Notes:**

 

(1) Wikipedia says Gongmin married a lady Hye on April 24th, 1359.

(2) Well, not ‘a bit distracted’, actually the Red Turbans occupied the capital.

(3) Yuan was in deep shit that led to the fall of the dynasty in 1368. Meanwhile, in 1365, the future emperor of the Ming dynasty was studying the ideas of the civilized Confucian state.

(4) In theory. ‘Choi’ is the second most popular last name in Korea, the first being ‘Kim’.

(5) Why was he so surprised? Amnesia is a must for any decent Korean dorama!

(6) Oops… The King Woo was crowned at the age of ten after Gongmin was assassinated. Fourteen years later Yi Seong-gye, the boy Eun-soo saved, seized the power, founded a new dynasty and executed seventy-two-year-old Choi Young handed to his by the King Woo as one of the generals of old who held real power in the country. The King Woo was exiled and later executed. The formal reason for his deprivation was that Woo ‘was not of royal blood’. Earlier historians named him Shin-don’s son, but modern historians tend to agree that he was either Gongmin’s bastard or adopted son.


End file.
